Refrigerator tray



Dec. 10, 1940. R. B. MOORE REFRIGERATOR TRAY Filed June so, 1939 Patented Dec. 10, 1940 UNETED STATES PATENT QFFICE REFRIGERATOR TRAY Robert B. Moore, Evansville, Ind, assignor to Servel, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application June30, 1939, Serial No. 282,295

5 Claims.

not only for the collection of defrosting water a but also for the collection of food and having means for maintaining the food moist but out of contact with the defrosting water.

The improved tray is constructed in a manner such that when it is disposed beneath a cooling unit, the defrosting water will drop onto the lid of the tray and drain towards a drip container or water receptacle removably mounted in the tray so that it may be removed and emptied at any time desired, a food compartment being provided in the tray which is maintained separate from the defrosting water by the removable drip container.

Other objects and the nature and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a household refrigerator having a cooling unit and showing the improved combination defrosting and storage tray resting on a shelf beneath the said unit;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the combination tray with a portion of the cover broken away;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the,

tray;

Fig. 4 is a perspective; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse view of the tray.

Referring to the drawing, a refrigerator cabinet IO having a door H is provided with a cooling unit l2 beneath which is located the improved receptacle or tray, generally indicated at l3, and supported on a shelf [4. The particular construction of the tray is best shown in Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, and comprises a. tray proper or pan having its upper marginal edge provided with a railed bead or flange l4 which serves as a support for a cover IS. The cover l5 has a marginal flange l6 complementai to and adapted to fit on the flange it of the pan. Within the area defined by the marginal flange IS, the cover is struck up adjacent one end to provide a plurality 0Q flat tapering faces I! which function to drain defrosting water toward the outer edge of the cover. The juncture of the intermediate portion of the cover and the outer flange forms an annular trough Ha, the trough being deeper at one end of the tray or sloping from one end to the. other, and at the shallower end being provided with openings or passages l8, through which water may find its way into the receptacle.

In order to prevent the defrosting water which finds its way through the lid l5 from coming in contact with food within the receptacle, a drip container or water receptacle [9 is provided at one end of the receptacle, this container being separate and removable with respect to the tray proper in order to maintain the food within the receptacle free of contact with the drip water,

yet subject to a certain amount of moisture given off by the drip water.

From the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the drawing, it will be readily understood that when the improved combina tion defrosting and cold storage tray is disposed in the position shown in Fig. 1 beneath the cooling element or evaporator l2, any water resulting from defrosting of the cooling unit will fall or drip onto the lid of .the container, collect in the trough Ila and drain towards and through the openings l8 into the removable water container or receptacle l9. Since this receptacle is separate from the main compartment of the tray, any food disposed in the latter compartment is maintained free of the drip water, yet is susceptible to a certain amount of moisture given off by the water. Whenever desired, the receptacle I9 may be removed and emptied simply by lifting the cover of the tray and without disturbing any food which may be disposed in the food compartment of the tray. I

It will be obvious that certain minor changes in construction and design may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the in vention as defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A combination defrosting and storage tray for use beneath the cooling unit of a household refrigerator comprising a tray proper having upstanding sides, a cover for the tray adapted to fit over said sides and having a convex body portion and a moisture-collectingtrough or gutter therearound inclined towards "one end of the tray, and whereby moisture and water dropping on said cover drains to said gutter and then towards the one end of the cover, said latter end being provided with orifices'through which the water flows into the tray, and a separate and removable water receptacle mounted in the tray beneath said orifices, the remaining portion of the tray forming a storage compartment for food.

'2. A combination defrosting and storage tray for use beneath the cooling unit of a household refrigerator, comprising a pan or tray proper having upstanding sides terminating in an outturned flange defining a bead, a cover for the tray having a peripheral portion adapted to fit over said bead, the body portion of the cover being convex in contour rising towards a peak at one extremity, the cover sloping from said peak in a plurality of drain surfaces arranged to drain drip water towards the periphery of the cover, a gutter being formed adjacent said periphery which is inclined towards one end of the cover, said latter end being formed with one or more orifices permitting water to pass therethrough into the tray, and a separate and removable water receptacle mounted in the tray beneath said orifices, the remaining portion of the tray forming a storage compartment for food. 3. A tray for use in a household refrigerator adapted to be positioned beneath the cooling unit of the refrigerator, comprising a tray proper, means forming a partition therein dividing the same into a compartment for the storage of produce and another compartment for the reception and retention of defrosting water, and a cover for the tray constructed and normally arranged to drain drip water into the water compartment, said partition-forming means being arranged in a manner such as to prevent contact of water with produce yet cooperating with the cover to define a passage for moisture given off by the water to the produce compartment to maintain produce in the latter compartment in a humid condition.

4. A tray for use in a household refrigerator to be positioned beneath the cooling unit of the latter, comprising a tray proper having a compartment for the storage of produce, means providing a water chamber in the tray, said means including a partition between the water chamber and produce compartment for preventing contact of water with the produce, a cover for the tray constructed and normally arranged to drain drip water toward and into said water chamber, said cover overlying the moisture chamber and food compartment and normally forming with said partition a passage for moisture given ofl by the water to the produce to maintain the same in a humid condition.

5. A tray for use in a household refrigerator to be positioned beneath the cooling unit of the latter, comprising a tray proper having a compartment for the storage of produce and another compartment for the reception and retention of drip water from the cooling unit, a partition between said compartments preventing contact of water with the produce, a cover for the tray overlying both of said compartments and constructed and arranged to drain drip water toward and into said water compartment, there being clearance between the cover and partition to provide a passage for moisture from the water compartment to the produce compartment to maintain the produce therein in a humid condition.

ROBERT B. MOORE. 

